Australia: Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said on April 5 that the Chinese bulker which grounded on the Great Barrier Reef was at risk of breaking apart.
Carrying 975 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 65,000 tonnes of coal, the vessel continued to sustain damage as it moved on a sand bar due to strong winds and the current.
A second tug arrived on April 5 to help stabilise the vessel.
Meanwhile, chemical dispersants have been deployed on the oil slick which stretches some 3km and is 100 metres wide. A small plane delivered two doses of dispersants to the two tonnes of oil. The spill has been contained to two patches however, the white stain was visible for kilometres around the 'Shen Neng 1'.
Maritime Safety Queensland General Manager Patrick Quirk said that authorities were focusing on stabilising the vessel and limiting environmental damage to the reef. He said that initial damage reports found that the 'Shen Neng 1's' main engine room had been breached and its main engine and rudder were damaged.
"The vessel, on our current assessment, ran aground at full speed on the port side and she is completely damaged on the port side. We are still very concerned about the ship.
"We have helicopters surveying the coast to preparing early planning in the event of needing to get equipment onto the beach," The Age quoted Mr Quirk as saying.
He added that the main challenge was to salvage the vessel and refloat it without spilling any of the oil or coal which it is carrying.
The vessel was travelling from Gladstone without a pilot in a restricted zone and it was 15km outside the recognised shipping lane. According to The Age, the vessel's presence in the restricted zone warrants an investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Ms Bligh said that Australian investigators would examine why the vessel was 15km outside the shipping lane.
"There are thousands of ships that pass through this area very safely in authorised shipping channels through Queensland waters," The Age quoted Ms Bligh as saying. "This ship is in an area, a restricted zone of the Great Barrier Reef, where there is no authorised shipping and it is totally off limits."
However, while the Australian Government will investigate the absence of a pilot, the shipping company is not, by law, required to employ one.
